Almost Gone
by SVUCSIWTRDOOLluver
Summary: Major angst story, Gibbs/Abby mainly, though slight hints of Tiva, but not til the end. 3-chapter fic, starts off with Gibbs and Abby together, but then Mikel gets to Abby, and Gibbs blames himself. It just goes downhill from there. R&R! Finished!
1. Don't Do This

Two-shot story, kinda based on the song "Already Gone" by Kelly Clarkson, basically Gibbs and Abby were in love, and it seemed to be a perfect relationship. But then Gibbs began pushing Abby away, knowing that she was young and deserved someone young, not an old, battered Marine like him. Enjoy!

--

"_Oh God, what have I done?" Gibbs whispered as his gun up into the air. She wasn't even fighting him, that bastard who didn't deserve to live. "Stop!" He bellowed, not hesitating and pulling the trigger once…twice…three times…_

--

Gibbs was sitting in an airplane, eyes staring off into space as he tried to figure out how his life had gone from heaven to hell in a matter of weeks.

He remembered the night his life had taken a dramatic turn for the better; he had been walking Abby to her car like he always did, nothing special about it, but when they got to her car, Abby turned to thank him with a hug, and instead of kissing his cheek, she threw caution to the winds and kissed him full on the lips. Gibbs had fully intended to push her away, his thinking being she deserved someone better than him, but his arms encircled her waist of their own accord.

She felt so warm in his arms, and her lips pressed against his perfectly, like she belonged in his arms. The kiss quickly took a passionate turn, and Gibbs pulled away before he lost his self-control. She pressed her forehead to his, and whispered, "Am I driving or are you?"

"Me," He said hoarsely, and Abby's smile widened as she pecked him on the lips and slipped out of his arms to get in the passenger seat. He climbed into the driver's seat and automatically drove to his house.

"What, don't like coffins, Gibbs?" Abby asked quietly, a smile playing on her lips as they both got out.

"Nope," Gibbs replied bluntly, suddenly sweeping Abby up into his arms. Abby yelped in surprise, and Gibbs silenced her by locking her lips with his as he carried her into the house and up the stairs to his bedroom.

--

Abby had moved in with him the next week, and the whole team noticed the fact that 1. Gibbs went down to see Abby a lot more and 2. He smiled a lot more. No one said anything, but they were all thinking plenty of things.

That had been the beginning of heaven for Gibbs, though every morning he woke up and watched Abby sleep, wondering how on earth he got to be such a lucky man. Abby deserved a younger man, yet she had chosen him. He never got much further than that thought, because Abby always stirred around that time and he was more than slightly distracted by such a beautiful woman kissing him good morning.

A few months had passed, and they got the news that Mikel Mawher had gotten out of prison. Gibbs immediately went into protective mode, barely leaving Abby's side. Every night he promised her that he'd keep her safe.

--

It hurt to remember what happened next. Gibbs dropped his head into his hands as he remembered how he broke his vow to Abby.

--

McGee triangulated Mikel's cell phone location, and he went with Gibbs, Tony and Ziva. Halfway there, McGee realized that it could be a trap, since they had left Abby back at Gibbs' house, virtually unprotected. He, who was driving a separate car, turned back and raced towards DC, calling Tony and letting him know. Gibbs didn't follow him, as he had a burning desire to see Mikel dead, and by Gibbs' own hand.

They had arrived at Mikel's location and realized McGee was right: it was a trap. No one was there but Mike's cell phone, lying in the street with a note: She'll be dead by the time you get back.

With an oath they all got back in the car and sped back towards DC. They pulled up at Gibbs' house, which had police cars everywhere, lights flashing and Gibbs' whole house lit up in lights from the inside. Gibbs raced into his house, seeing a paramedic kneeling by Abby's side, treating a gash on Abby's neck. It wasn't deep, Gibbs could see that, but a few more millimeters and Abby would be bleeding out on the floor.

McGee was sitting next to her, his arm around her and she was leaning her head on his shoulder. When McGee saw Gibbs, he made to stand up, but Gibbs shook his head and knelt in front of Abby. "Hey Gibbs," Abby croaked, and the paramedic scolded,

"Please, Miss Sciuto, don't talk."

Gibbs saw the bruises starting to form on Abby's arms, in the shape of a hand, and his rage almost boiled over. "I'm so sorry, Abby," He muttered, getting to his feet and striding out. Tony and Ziva rushed over to Abby, making sure she was okay, but all Abby would do was stare at the door Gibbs had just rush through.

"Why do I feel like he just broke up with me?" She whispered to herself, so no one heard her.

--

At this point, Gibbs almost smacked himself in the back of the head. He vaguely remembered getting in his car and driving around aimlessly. His thoughts had been on mostly Abby, not driving, and he was extremely lucky that he didn't run into someone or something. Instead of going home, where he knew Abby was, he went to NCIS and walked into the first interrogation room. He put his coat on the ground for a pillow and lay down; hoping that it would be the one place Abby wouldn't look when she got there in the morning.

He was wrong, in every part of that statement.

--

Abby went to NCIS around 3 in the morning, as she hadn't been able to sleep without Gibbs next to her. She looked around in all the usual places she could find Gibbs, but he wasn't there.

Finally she took a chance and went to the interrogation rooms, and when she peeked into the first one, there he was, lying on the floor with his coat as a pillow. She wanted to go curl up next to him, but they had issues to discuss first.

She flipped the light on as she walked in, and Gibbs immediately sat up, a little disoriented from sleep but his hand going to his gun that wasn't there. "It's just me, Gibbs," Abby said flatly, and Gibbs got to his feet slowly.

"Abbs…"

"Don't you 'Abbs' me, Gibbs! What the hell was that, telling me you're sorry?! Sorry for what!?" Abby shouted, and Gibbs was taken aback for a moment.

"I, I broke my promise to you, Abby," Gibbs said slowly, and Abby yelled,

"That wasn't your fault! And I won't let you push me away this time!"

Gibbs knew she was referring to the time when Kate was shot. They had started dating a few months before, but when Kate died, Gibbs drifted away from Abby, and their relationship dissolved. Abby was not going to let that happen this time, obviously. "You wouldn't have gotten hurt if it hadn't been for me, Abby, you'd be better off…"

"If you want me to keep my sanity, please don't say I'd be better off without you," Abby warned, and Gibbs sighed, saying quietly,

"You would."

"No, I wouldn't! I love you, Gibbs, only you! Don't do this!" Abby pleaded, her voice growing more and more hysterical.

"I have to," He replied, his tone almost inaudible.

"Please, Gibbs, please, don't leave me," Abby begged, grabbing his shirt with her fists and trying to blink back the tears in her eyes.

"McGee can protect you a hell of a lot better than I can," Gibbs said, looking down and trying to make sure Abby didn't see how much this was killing him inside. He gently pushed her away and strode towards the door.

"Don't you dare try to get me to hook up with my ex-boyfriend and then walk away, Leroy Jethro Gibbs!" Abby yelled, and Gibbs turned around to see tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Obviously he can!" Gibbs exclaimed, striding over to her and reaching for her arm to show her what that psycho Mikel did to her, on his own watch. Abby barely flinched, but it was enough for Gibbs to freeze.

"Stupid reflex," Abby muttered hastily, thinking Gibbs thought she thought he was going to hit her.

"A reflex you shouldn't have," Gibbs whispered softly, stepping back and brushing his hand down her cheek, wiping her tears away. "You'll be okay." He added, stepping back another step.

"No I won't," She whispered, but not moving. This was Gibbs' choice, and she wasn't going to force him to stay, no matter how much her heart was breaking. "Please, Gibbs, please," She begged him, but Gibbs quickened his stride and yanked the door open, saying,

"Bye Abbs."

--

End of the first chapter! I was debating on whether or not to leave it like this, and I think I'm not going to. Well, I can't really, because of the flashback beginning! Thanks so much for reading, and adios!


	2. No Second Chances

Beginning of the 2nd chapter! If you're reading this, then you must not hate me (that much)! It gets better, I promise! Enjoy!

--

The door swung shut, and Abby's held-back sobs broke free. She crumbled to the ground, hugging her knees and the tears flowing fast and furious. She would alternate between cursing Gibbs and begging him to stay, as if he was still there.

That was how Tony found her, a few hours later when the team went searching for her. Gibbs had left his badge and gun on Jenny's desk, with a note that read,

"I'm going back to Mexico for a while. Abby needs to see that she's better off without me. I'll be back, when she's happy with someone else."

The whole team, shocked and upset, were furious at Gibbs for up and leaving Abby. Their anger only grew when Tony carried Abby into the squad room, and Jenny ordered him to take her to her apartment. Tony didn't argue, and asked Ducky to drive, as he planned on holding her in the backseat all the way back to her apartment, because she was gripping his shirt so tightly he figured he'd have fist imprints on the shirt forever.

--

Gibbs almost beat his hands on seat in front of him, but knew that the woman sitting there would most likely slap him, or hit him with her gigantic purse that was sitting on her lap as she rummaged through it.

In his few talks with Jenny and Ducky, cold as they had been, he had learned that Abby was in a deep state of depression. She hadn't gone out with anyone since he left, and it took nearly a week for her to snap out of her comatose-like state.

That twisted the knife stuck permanently in Gibbs' heart painfully, but he stuck to his resolve that Abby deserved someone better.

But he knew now that was the stupidest resolve he had ever made. Gibbs tried to turn his thoughts away from the day before, when he had gotten a call from Ducky, which had torn his world into a million pieces.

--

"What?" He snapped at whoever was on the line.

"Jethro, it's Ducky," Ducky's voice said, though it was marred with grief.

"Duck? What happened?" Gibbs immediately replied, thinking the worst.

"It's Abby, Mikel broke out of prison and he has her," Ducky replied softly, and Gibbs swore, cutting Ducky off. "Jethro, there's, there's more," Ducky added, his voice going even softer.

"What, Duck?" Gibbs questioned, almost desperately.

"Mikel sent us a video, he injected Abby with a poison while she slept. It's a powerful poison, but it takes a day at the most to set in."

"How can you be sure?" Gibbs demanded, and Ducky faltered in his reply,

"Because one of the agents in the CIA that specialize in checking videos for whether they're real or not checked it, and it's real. The poison he used is the only kind that's black, so he must be telling the truth. Jethro, we have to find her, it's already been half a day since we got the video,"

"I'm heading to a plane now, Duck. I'll call when I land."

"All right. And Jethro?" Ducky questioned, and when Gibbs didn't reply he said firmly, "If you come back, you're staying. You will not break that girl's heart ever again, and live to tell the tale."

With that, Ducky hung up, and Gibbs immediately rushed to the local airport, grabbing his bag of clothes and telling Mike a hurried goodbye. But, of course, Mike went with him, knowing Abby was in trouble.

--

So there he sat, with Mike snoring next to him. The pilot came on over the speaker and told everyone to put their seatbelts on, as they were getting ready to land in DC. He shook Mike awake and they both put their seatbelts on.

A half hour later, they were going through security and getting their bags. Gibbs called Ducky while Mike searched for their bags. "Jethro?"

"Yeah, it's me, Duck."

"Tony, Ziva and McGee found a lead on where Mikel's taking Abby."

"Where?"

"A pavilion in the graveyard where they first met."

"He's going to make it look like she committed suicide," Gibbs muttered, swearing quietly.

"Yes. I'm waiting outside, Tony, Ziva and McGee are already on their way over there. Jenny's with me."

"We're on our way." Gibbs replied, and hung up as Ducky exclaimed,

"We?"

Mike handed Gibbs his bag, and as they walked out, Mike said, "So, you regret doing what you did to Abby, Probie?"

Gibbs gave him a long look, then looked at the ground and muttered, "Yeah. Yeah, Mike, I do."

"Good. Then you won't do it again." Mike said, glaring at him as they got to Jenny's car. Mike and Gibbs climbed in the back, and Jenny tossed him his badge and gun as she floored the gas pedal and the car sped towards the graveyard.

"I'm taking this bastard out, Jen," Gibbs muttered as he checked his gun for cleanliness and for bullets.

"Please do, or I will." Jen said through clenched teeth, knowing that they only had a few precious, and not guaranteed hours, before Abby would die. Ducky had the antidote on him, just in case they couldn't get her to the hospital in time.

It only took 15 minutes to get to the graveyard, and Jen pulled up next to Ziva, McGee and Tony. Gibbs got out, and they all froze as Mikel dragged a tied-up figure to the pavilion. That figure they knew to be Abby.

Carefully they all spread out, but Ducky stayed back at the car, as he didn't have a weapon. Slowly they closed in on Mikel, who was hanging a noose from the rafters. Abby slowly fell to her knees, and then collapsed on the ground, the poison weakening her whole system. Mikel strode over to her, yanking her up and pulling her towards the noose.

Abby's face was turned in Gibbs' direction, and he saw the listlessness on her face, coming from her depression, not the poison. She obviously didn't care whether she died or not, but Gibbs sure as hell did.

"Oh my God, what have I done?" Gibbs whispered as his gun up into the air. She wasn't even fighting him, that bastard who didn't deserve to live. "Stop!" He bellowed, not hesitating and pulling the trigger once…twice…three times…

Mikel clutched his bullet-ridden chest and slowly collapsed on the ground, but as he did so, Abby fell forward, and Gibbs realized that Mikel had gotten the noose around her neck. "No!" He yelled, dashing towards her as fast as he could.

His hands grasped her waist and lifted her up easily; she was almost as light as a feather. Her eyes were dull, her face had a blue tint from lack of air, and as Gibbs laid her on the ground, he checked her pulse to find it very weak and slow. "Ducky!" He called over his shoulder, and Ducky knelt by Abby's side.

"No time for the hospital," Ducky murmured, grabbing Abby's arm and using an alcohol patch to wipe off the area he was to inject the antidote into. Jenny gripped Abby's arm, acting as the rubber band Ducky didn't have. He flicked his fingers against the needle to get the air to the top, squeezed it out and carefully slid the needle into Abby's vein. He depressed the plunger slowly, and time seemed to slow down for Gibbs.

His eyes searched Abby's closed lids desperately, having been told by Ducky that the antidote worked quickly, or didn't work at all.

--

End of the second chapter! Don't you just love my cliff-hangers? Just kidding! Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you like this story so far. Adios for now!


	3. Say It Outloud

This is the 3rd and final chapter!!! Really fluffy at the end, hopefully it makes up for the angst that's going on, and has been going on! Enjoy!

--

Tony, Ziva and McGee, who were standing around a dead Mikel, stared at Abby too as her chest stopped moving for one heart-stopping moment.

"Please, Abbs, don't die on me, please don't," Gibbs pleaded, whispering into her ear.

"C'mon, Abby," Tony muttered under his breath, McGee echoing his sentiment. Ziva, who was almost in tears, slipped her hand into Tony's. He squeezed her hand, almost crying himself. Franks, who just appeared next to McGee, said quietly,

"You ain't gonna die on me now, Miss Abby,"

Abby's eyelids suddenly snapped open and she opened her mouth, taking a huge gulp of air. She expelled the air, saying, "Gibbs?"

Ducky immediately took over, checking her vitals and pulse as best he could. Gibbs never let go of Abby's hand and his tender blue eyes stared into her confused and slightly angry green ones. When Ducky had pronounced Abby fully recovered from the poison and that he didn't expect any after effects, Abby sat up and slowly got to her feet.

"Going back to Mexico now, Gibbs?" Abby questioned coldly, and Gibbs winced. Tony, Ziva, McGee, Franks, Jenny and Ducky all stepped back, ready and willing to watch Gibbs get major hell from Abby.

"No. I'm staying, Abby."

"Yeah, right. Heard that one before." Abby scoffed, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I'm telling you the truth this time," Gibbs said sincerely, and Abby said lowly,

"Okay, so you're going to stay, and what, we're just going to pick up where we left off? Oh, excuse me, where you left off? What kind of jerk are you?"

"Abby, I didn't…"

"My heart shattered when you left, Gibbs! I was a complete and utter MESS! Did Tony tell you how he found me? Curled up in the fetal position in the interrogation room? I was out of it for a week, and did you even care? No, probably not, just getting drunk with hot Mexican girls and getting splinters with your damn wood. Well, you can just go back to your freaking wood and bourbon, because I refuse to let my heart love you! I refuse!"

"I cared so much that I didn't allow myself to come back, Abby!" Gibbs exclaimed, trying to explain himself, but Abby wasn't having any of it.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know about your excuse 'Abby's better off with someone else, I'm staying away until she realizes that'. That's total and utter crap, Leroy Jethro Gibbs! How can you be so degrading of yourself? Degrading of me? What did you think, that I stayed with you because I felt sorry for you? No, Gibbs, I loved you, that's why I stayed with you! Besides, there is no one, and I repeat no one out there that is better than you."

"I can't even protect you, Abby! Mikel got to you under my watch, and since I left, no one's harmed you. That must mean something." Gibbs said flatly, and Abby plowed her way through that excuse too.

"Bull crap! Mikel tricked you! That's gonna happen, and I can protect myself, thank you very much! This is all about pride, Mikel hurt your pride when he got to me, and that's why you left!" Abby yelled, trying to make him see his reasoning had no backing whatsoever. She wanted him to stay, and making him see that his whole reasoning was ridiculous was the only way she could think of.

"Pride? You think me leaving was about my pride!?" Gibbs yelled, anger clouding his eyes.

"That's the only thing I can think of." Abby stated, and Gibbs clenched his hands, yelling,

"I left to protect you!"

"Well, that plan backfired, didn't it? You left to protect me from harm, but you leaving did more harm than anyone on this planet could do. And stop using that stupid, God-forsaken excuse, because I has no merit whatsoever!"

Those words left Gibbs speechless, as he knew Abby tore that excuse into millions of pieces, but he said quietly, "Mikel could have killed you."

"He didn't. But you killed my heart, and my soul." Abby replied just as quiet, and slowly Gibbs 'saw the light', so to speak.

"Oh God, what have I done? What have I done to you, Abby?" Gibbs whispered, putting his hand to his mouth.

"Good question." Abby said coldly, hiding her tears as she turned around. "You wanna know what you did to me, Gibbs? Ask Tony, ask Ducky, Ziva, McGee, Jenny, all of them. Go on. Ask them." Abby said firmly, and Gibbs turned helplessly to the others.

None of them said anything for a moment, and then Tony spoke up, "She was broken when you left, boss, she wasn't making that up. I found her, and believe me, I almost caught a plane to Mexico to shoot you myself."

"And I would've gone with him." Ziva said quietly, while the others nodded.

"It's going to take a long time to earn her trust back, boss," McGee spoke up, and Gibbs took a deep breath, turning back to Abby. She turned away from him and started walking away.

"Abby! Wait!" Gibbs exclaimed, running to her side and gently laying his hand on her arm. She faced him and he reached out to put his hands on her face. She turned her face away, and he murmured, "I, I'm sorry, Abby, I know it's not enough, but it's all I can say,"

"No it's not," Abby replied quietly, almost shaking. Jenny, Franks, Ducky, Tony, Ziva and McGee looked on in shock as she added, "Say it. Don't sign it, say it."

Gibbs didn't even look confused. He knew what Abby was talking about. Even with his team and the Director standing there within hearing distance, he said clearly, "I love you, Abbs,"

"That is all you can say," Abby whispered with a smile, and he smiled back before lowering his lips to her cheek. He didn't dare do anything more. And Abby was touched by his resistance to kissing her on the lips, which she wouldn't have let him do anyways.

"I'm never leaving you again," Gibbs swore, and this time he fully intended to keep that promise. Abby eased back out of his arms, but he kept his right arm around her waist as they walked back to Jenny, Franks, Ducky, Tony, Ziva and McGee. Gibbs could read the same thing in their eyes: hurt her and we will kick your ass. There were a few whose eyes said 'hurt her and we will shoot you'.

He could live with that. In fact, he'd probably want them the kick him, but mostly shoot him, if he did ever hurt Abby again.

The group walked back to the cars, and Gibbs pulled Abby close, kissing her temple lovingly. "Love you too, Gibbs," Abby said quietly, looking up at him. He smiled softly as she added, "But you're still in a boat load of trouble. Literally." She said, narrowing her eyes. Gibbs smiled, knowing he had a long way to go until he could earn her complete trust back.

--

That night, Gibbs lay with Abby wrapped up tightly in his arms. Gibbs had come over Abby's apartment, and that's where they were sleeping.

Only neither of them were actually sleeping.

Gibbs was lightly running his fingers through Abby's raven hair, while Abby lightly traced images on his chest with her fingers. He could almost hear her brain thinking, so he said quietly,

"Penny for your thoughts, though they're worth much more than that,"

Abby laughed and replied, "There's a song I've heard before, perfectly describes what just happened between us, and it's called 'Already Gone'."

Gibbs thought about it, and said, "How about we alter the title a bit?"

Abby was a little confused, but replied, "Um, okay, what did you have in mind?"

"'Almost Gone'" Gibbs replied, and Abby looked up at him.

"Perfect," She replied softly, and with almost a little hesitation, she pressed her lips to his. She finally had all she ever wanted: Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

--

The end! I hope you enjoyed this supposed one-shot! I can't believe I wrote over 3,700 words for this! I only intended it to be about 1,500! :) Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you liked it! Adios!


End file.
